Howard Schnellenberger Came To Oklahoma With Big Dreams And A Reputation To Back It Up. He Left As The Most Hated Man In The State.

December 31, 2000|By RANDALL MELL Staff Writer

Jim Riley, one of 14 former Sooners who founded the OU Football Lettermen's Association in 1988, was a regular observer on the sidelines during Schnellenberger's practices. Schnellenberger was the Dolphins' offensive coordinator and Riley one of his offensive linemen during Miami's perfect '72 season. Riley is also a drug and alcohol counselor who runs his own outreach clinic and ranch.

"I never saw a problem with Howard, and I deal with men who have addictive behavior problems all the time," Riley said. "What was said and done to Howard was unfair, and it broke my heart."

What Schnellenberger won't deny being guilty of is failing to properly embrace OU's past.

"Howard tried to change everything," Riley said. "It was like he was going to show them how to play football. Howard made a few mistakes in what he said, and he rubbed a lot of folks the wrong way. He said some things to the school president, Boren, that he shouldn't have said, and he said some things about Barry Switzer he shouldn't have said."

Though Switzer was coaching the Dallas Cowboys at the time, his following remained powerful back in Oklahoma. Switzer was on Oklahoma's staff for 23 years, 16 as head coach, and he won three national titles. Even though he was fired after being portrayed as leader of an outlaw program, Switzer remained beloved.

Schnellenberger's assistants weren't embraced after offensive coordinator Gary Nord spoke to a group of Oklahoma dentists while on the booster circuit before that first season.

"I thought the Kentucky people were hicks, but these people win hands down," Nord said of rural Oklahomans. "I could have used a dentist with me. I didn't see a full set of teeth the whole time."

Boren reprimanded Nord.

"We are always learning," Schnellenberger says of his time at Oklahoma. "I learned it's a lot different when you go into a program that has an illustrious tradition, where winning is not only happening, but happening a certain way. You can't act like you are starting a team from scratch, and you have to be careful what traditions are held dear, and who the players are in that tradition, who can be helpful and who can be harmful."